NEWS EXTRA
show, Mrs White praised Frosts’ involvement: “They are a really family-oriented business and have been a huge supporter since day one. They even have till pots in their centres, which is a huge help.”
Bold and beautiful
No doubt helped by the bevy of lupins this year, bold and bright colours were very much on trend at the show this year. Vivid yellows were particularly prevalent, from the LG Eco-city Garden, which incorporated lupins, ranunculus, trollies and verbascum in lemon, citrus and sunshine shades, to the Trailfinders’ garden based on a South African wine estate, which showcased a terracotta terrace and lush green foliage punctuated by bright blooms and yellow flowers – in particular, the striking ‘Primrose Upward’. Another great example was Capel Manor College’s exhibit, Fifty Shades of Gold, which looked at the role of pigments in plants – particularly carotenoids, which are responsible for the colour yellow. With Ultra Violet being Pantone’s Colour of the Year for 2018, it’s probably no surprise that a host of vibrant purples also graced gardens and exhibits throughout the show, including Tom Massey’s deep purple irises set off against a grey, concrete background. Sarah Eberle, who was responsible for designing Hillier’s garden and the Royal Celebration floral feature this year, showcased a bold mix of colours in her Artisan Garden. Bright planting, including Himalayan blue poppies, was set off by a rust background and complemented pietra dura marble inlaid with a bold traditional Jaipur pattern. On the Hillier garden, the design was a huge departure from previous designs – with one of the biggest changes being that the public were invited to actually walk through the exhibit and get up close and personal with the plants. “It’s a dynamic design with bold colours,” said George Hillier. “It’s great having Sarah on board – and she is a joy to work with… I love the colours, the planting and the style.”
A touch of rust
Another major feature of both Hillier’s main garden and the Royal Celebration floral exhibit was the use of corten steel. Rusty shades work really well with lush greenery and set off bold planting schemes. As well as rust-coloured plants, like irises and ferns, Corten steel was used across the show, for sculptures, containers and to define steps and raised beds. Hillier’s exhibit, sponsored by
10 DIY WEEK 15 JUNE 2018 Yellow blooms were particullarly striking on the LG Eco-city Garden
garden tool manufacturer Stihl, made a real feature of the steel, which was used to make raised beds and walls dividing parts of the garden up by theme. The idea was for the garden to take on a more rustic theme, whilst orange and blue flowering plants added warmth alongside the traditional feature of Hillier’s mature trees. The exhibit earned Hillier its 73rd consecutive RHS Gold medal at Chelsea and the team were thrilled with the result. Sarah Eberle also used the material in her artisan garden to create large pillars to represent cricket wickets, as she celebrated the 70th anniversary of the British Council in India. Meanwhile, weathered rusting steel used to great effect on the Pearlfisher Garden, which was designed to celebrate the beauty of the underwater garden of the ocean and comprised huge aquatic tanks hosting ocean plants, coral and fish. And, designer, Tony Woods used
a spectrum of purples and dark maroons to pick out the colour in the corten steel used throughout his Urban Flow Garden.
Designing for wellbeing The RHS Feel Good Garden, designed by Matt Keightley, was a real focus at the show this year. Designed to highlight how gardening, and simply being in a green space, can help improve mental and physical health, the exhbit had wide walkways that cut through generous banks of planting, and tiered bench seating creating a calm space in which to sit and relax. After the show, the garden is being relocated to the Camden and Islington NHS Foundation Trust, providing a place where staff and patients can garden, relax and be close to nature. The environment was also high on the list at Chelsea this year, with ecology trends a central theme in many of the gardens. Tom Stuart- Smith created a feature garden using recycled plants and materials for the Garfield Weston Foundation, while Kate Gould incorporated paving, with integral energy harvesting technology, as well as plants chosen for their ability to cope with high
levels of pollution. On Hay-Joung Hwang’s LG Eco-City Garden, plants and trees were considered for the role they play in the seasonal control of oxygen generation, humidity control, temperature moderation and reduction of carbon dioxide, while Tony Woods showcased varieties that deflect and process pollution and excess rainfall, as well as attracting and sustaining wildlife. Pearlfisher’s garden, in partnership with Plastic Oceans, highlighted the impact of plastic waste on our ecosystem.
The benefits of houseplants were also communicated, with Ikea’s #plantswork ‘Discovery’ display in the Great Pavilion. Designed by Ian Drummond, the exhibit featured a range of houseplants creatively displayed in a home and office setting, with information on how greening up indoor space can improve health and productivity. Westland Horticulture also teamed up with garden writer Peter Seabrook to celebrate container gardening, demonstrating how visitors could get creative with houseplants, utilising everything from champagne saucers and mixing bowls, to tin cans, key boxes, and even foil takeaway containers. Favourite houseplants and indoor edibles were on display, with the health benefits clearly communicated and Westland brand manager Jen Richardson explained all of the containers were re-used and recycled, bought from charity shops or even brought into the office by staff. The huge popularity of houseplants has seen the brand’s indoor range grow 8% year-on-year. Burgon & Ball’s Alison Edwards the
said inclusion of on-trend
gardening, such as houseplants, helped attract a younger demographic to the show and boosted sales of the company’s planters. “There was definitely a younger audience,”
she said.
“We sold out of our indoor plots. Anything we put out on stand was whisked away at high speed. They might not have the outdoor space, sp it’s a more approachable way to garden and makes indoor and container gardening attainable.”
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